Home | News | SWAZI WOMAN KILLED IN TB JOSHUA CHURCH COLLAPSE

SWAZI WOMAN KILLED IN TB JOSHUA CHURCH COLLAPSE

23/09/2014 05:00:00 BY STANLEY KHUMALO

Font size:

PHOPHONYANE – A Swazi woman was killed in Nigeria when TB Joshua’s synagogue collapsed and killed over 115 people, it has been confirmed.

Zodwa Nhlabatsi nee Dlamini, 43, was killed at the prominent bishop’s church last Friday.
She grew up at Phophonyane, Pigg’s Peak in the northern part of the country.

Janet Hlatshwako, a paternal aunt to the deceased confirmed the demise of her niece.
She said when she heard about the collapsed synagogue, she did not anticipate that it would have a direct impact on the family.

Dedicated

Hlatshwako explained that the former Ntfonjeni High School pupil had undertaken frequent visits to Nigeria as she was a dedicated Christian.
“We have been informed that she frequented that church and as an elderly person, I never bothered to ask what they did there. I am happy she died in the house of the Lord as tragic as it may be,” she said.

Hlatshwako further explained that Nhlabatsi had, on numerous occasions visited the synagogue with her husband but this time she had left him behind due to work commitments.

“When they broke the news to me, I was told that Zodwa was missing as many people were unaccounted for. I prayed and hoped that she would be found like the others who were found underneath the rubble,” Hlatshwako said.
She said she had hoped that her niece would be found alive.

Joining the interview was Tfobhi Sibandze, 65, a relative to the deceased.
Sibandze reminisced the deceased’s childhood while growing up in the country.
“Zodwa was a Christian from a tender age. She had a good upbringing and we were expecting her to come home in a few weeks time,” Sibandze said.

Nhlabatsi is said to have relocated to South Africa after marrying into a Nhlabatsi family of kaMhlushwa, in the Mpumalanga province.

Children

She said she is survived by her husband and three children who are all residing in South Africa.
Sibandze said the deceased is a former employee of Build-it Hardware and would at times request to be excused from family functions as she rushed to attend church sermons.

Sibandze and Hlatshwako said they would be travelling to kaMhlushwa, Mpumalanga today. “We will be travelling to her marital home tomorrow to pass our condolences and also help her mother and the rest of the family in preparations for the funeral,” they said.